LAS CRUCES - Despite his 7-foot-5 stature, Sim Bhullar is developing as a college basketball player.

Part of that development for New Mexico State's freshman center is coming to the realization that every opposing center he goes up against is going to have that particular date circled on the schedule.

In his first college start, Bhullar went up against New Mexico sophomore Alex Kirk in a 73-58 Lobos victory in Albuquerque on Saturday.

"It was a great atmosphere for a college game," Bhullar said. "I didn't let the crowd get to me. I would give myself a C (grade) I guess. I just have to do a better job being physical the whole game."

The two big men meet again on Wednesday at the Pan American Center. Bhullar is expected to start again in place of injured junior center Tshilidzi Nephawe (hand surgery).

"We are going to have to regroup and get better chemistry now that Sim is starting," NMSU senior wing Tyrone Watson said. "Now that (Nephawe) is out, we have to get a feel."

Kirk had the better statline with 15 points, six rebounds and five blocks. Kirk scored seven-straight points during an 11-2 run that gave the Lobos a 12-point first half cushion in a game the Lobos controlled throughout. When the Lobos had the ball, Kirk set a high-ball screen and stayed out of the paint. When the Aggies had the ball, Kirk played behind Bhullar, where he was in prime position to reject or alter shot attempts by NMSU players who drove to the paint.

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"You've got to guard (Kirk)," Lobos coach Steve Alford said. "And not just on the block. The big fella they have (Bhullar), we pulled him away from the basket and let him shoot shots because he can make shots."

Because he was away from the basket, Bhullar finished with just two rebounds in 24 minutes.

"We would rather have (Kirk) shooting jumpers than open lay ups," Bhullar said. "I guess I can do a better job getting out there and getting my hand up on the shot."
Bhullar finished with nine points on 4-for-7 shooting with two blocked shots. Not bad for a first start against a quality center with size.

"Alex played behind him and we should have got Sim the ball maybe a little more," Aggies coach Marvin Menzies said. "But that was just one battle in the war."

Bhullar and junior Renaldo Dixon combined for 14 points and nine rebounds from the center position while UNM backup center Cameron Bairstow contributed with seven points in 14 minutes.

Dixon was 2-for-6 from the field with seven rebounds and a block in 17 minutes. Sophomore forward Remi Barry also filled in along the frontcourt with four points on 1-for-2 shooting from 3-point range with two rebounds in his first action in four games.

"I thought Remi played pretty well in the minutes that he played," Menzies said. "It was good to get him on the floor and get his feet wet. He will have more opportunities as things come. Renaldo was good in spurts. He wasn't as consistent as he could have been and he missed some defensive assignments."

Menzies said Nephawe is unlikely to suit up on Wednesday, meaning Bhullar should get his second start against Kirk.

"I could have played a lot better," Bhullar said. "My knee was bothering me for a couple days and at shootaround I tweaked it a little bit. As long as I rehab it, it will be good."

The center matchup is just one of a handful that determines the outcome of a given game, but Kirk is likely the best center the Aggies face for the rest of the season. Bhullar's performance at The Pit was certainly a building block for the Aggies moving forward.

"He came along as the game progressed," Watson said. "At the start he was shaky but he played good in the second half. He was finishing the ball and made good passes out of double teams. If we put together two good halves with him and get everybody else rolling, we should be fine."

Jason Groves can be reached at (575) 541-5459. Follow him on Twitter @jpgroves

If you go

Who: New Mexico (11-0 overall record) at New Mexico State (5-5 overall record)

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